


What They Don't Know...

by NoveletteBibliophile



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: ;), Daddy Han Jumin, Does Jumin Han Is Gay?, Dom/sub, Dominance, Dominant Han Jumin, F/M, Han Jumin Has Feelings, Possessive Han Jumin, Protective Zen | Ryu Hyun, Submissive Main Character (Mystic Messenger), naw he's not
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-17
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2019-08-25 02:11:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16652320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoveletteBibliophile/pseuds/NoveletteBibliophile
Summary: MC's world is flipped upside down when she downloads an app and ends up at a mysterious apartment. Despite the turn of events in her life, she is still a senior in college and cannot miss her first day at her internship. A different flip on traditional Mystic Messenger routes.





	1. First Day

_What did I get myself into?_

The sound of MC'S two-inch tall heels thumped in rhythm with the other commuters around her. Her eyes remained locked on her phone screen, the GPS function on it leading her to the location where her internship group was meeting. Tall buildings surrounded her, the bustle of the crowded street blocked out from the earphones she had in. The familiar sound of her favorite indie band played, interrupted occasionally by notifications from the app titled "RFA Chatroom" along with an avatar of a white cat. Today was already an overwhelming day before she fell into the unfamiliar world behind her screen and the occupants that came along with it. A senior in college, her internship group was attending a lecture featuring the top executives in Korea. Thanks to the unexpected detour to the apartment, she was running fifteen minutes behind. The building in sight, she paused her music, and wrapped her earphones around her phone before slipping them in the pocket of her gray peacoat. Before opening the tall glass doors, she straightened her bangs out and made sure that none of the strands of her long chestnut colored hair had come undone from her top-knot bun. She smoothed out the tight black dress slacks she wore and made sure that her white button up shirt was tucked in. She reached for the door handle and headed straight for the elevator. Lifting her left hand to her face, she read the directions that had been jotted down on her there the day before. _Tenth floor, end of hall on the right.._

She pushed the up-arrow for the elevator and waited for the door to open. Luckily, the elevator was empty. She hit the number "10" and moved to stand in the back corner. The doors close but the elevator only moved one floor before it opened. She smiled politely as several other people boarded the elevator. They made it one more floor and more people were boarding. Her anxiety rising, she pulled her phone from her pocket to check the time. _Crap..it was almost noon. The building's employees were heading to lunch and the lecture was starting soon... Ten floors was going to take a while.._

Nearly five minutes had passed and they were at floor six. She had opened up the chatroom and scrolled through an ongoing conversation between the men known as 707 and Zen. She smiled to herself as she read their idle banter. Without a doubt, the members were entertaining. She noticed that neither of the more business-like members were present. Even though their stern nature made her feel unnerved, MC couldn't really blame their suspicions - she literally fell into their world. Zen had noticed that she had entered the chatroom and had asked if she ate. As she typed out her reply, the elevator opened on the seventh floor and the people around her parted to make room for the two people that entered. Distracted by the way she was being chastised for not eating by the pair, MC did not glance up at the pair as they filtered in next to her. The elevator was filled to capacity at this point, so hopefully they could make it quickly up to the tenth floor. The clock on her phone now read 11:59. 

_Crap, crap, crap...I'm definitely going to be late. ___

_____________________________________________________________________________

_Right on time.._

Jumin Han glanced at his watch as the elevator arrived on their floor. They had two minutes before the lecture for the college students started, but he wasn't scheduled to speak until the end. At this rate, he could sneak in back stage with the other speakers and avoid the new woman his father was seeing as she would already be seated in the audience. Jaehee stood silently beside him, reading through a portfolio for the meeting they needed to attend directly after. The doors to the already packed elevator opened, the current riders parting to make way for him and his assistant. Jaehee bowed slightly to some of the other people, but Jumin avoided making eye contact, per usual. He didn't feel the need to give any attention to anyone that couldn't do anything for him. As everyone readjusted and the door closed, he retrieved his phone from the pocket of his dress slacks. Notifications showed that the chatroom was currently active. With faint interest, he opened the app, and noticed that the newcomer was in the chat. How were they being so friendly and open with this individual? Zen even appeared to be openly flirting with this person. Even though Luciel said it was a "she", Jumin knew better than to trust him. It wouldn't surprise him at all if Luciel would lie about their gender just to set up a prank for one of the lonely and naive men in the group. Afterall, he did start the rumor that Jumin was gay. 

The situation surrounding the new member was sketchy at best. Jumin only felt slightly reassured by V's willingness to accept them. Their guests and most of the RFA members themselves were high profile. It didn't make sense to Jumin to put any of them at risk, but he decided to trust his old friend on his decision. Besides, if they proved to be a threat, Luciel could always block them from the app. It's not like they could easily find any of the members. 

Truth be told, the new member seemed harmless enough. Jumin mentally took notes on information the newcomer shared in the current chat.  
1) They seemed to be just as surprised as the RFA members to have been put into this situation.  
2) They shared the same unhealthy habit as Zen of not eating meals at appropriate times.  
3) They were currently in college and had left the apartment for something college-related. 

Jumin's eyes scanned with the scrolling of the chatroom. The newcomer played along with Zen's advancements and even seemed to enjoy Luciel's sense of humor. Based on the way they spoke, Jumin decided to reluctantly trust Luciel's call that they were in fact a female. Zen posted his winking emoji and it's sound effect went off from Jumin's phone. To his surprise, at the same time it went off from his phone he heard it again from a short distance away. _Funny...it didn't say Jaehee entered the room._ Jumin glanced over at Jaehee to the right of him, her eyes gliding over a document, lost to all around her. _What...?_

A soft giggle broke through the monotony of the elevator conversation. It wasn't something Jumin was honestly use to hearing in the world he lived in. The only sort of giggling he heard was the shameless flirting from gold digging women or 707's maniacal laughter. Interested, his eyes followed the source of the laughter to the young woman next to her. 

She stood barely up to his shoulders, several inches shorter than Jaehee even. The way her face was lit up caused a light flutter in Jumin's heart that he normally only felt while seeing Elizabeth the Third after being away for a while. He was surrounded by women that society considered the ideal, attractive type on nearly a daily basis. Why did her giggle alone resonate in him? 

_Wait..._ The normally stoic expression on his face broke as his eyes widened at the girl's phone screen. Winking up at him was no other than an image of Zen. 

_What the hell??_

He watched as her thumbs drummed along the touchscreen keyboard. His phone vibrated slightly in his hand and the message he just watched her type appeared on his very phone. In complete shock, the normally impassive businessman almost dropped his phone as if the vibration shocked him. _There's no way. What are the chances? Why was she here?_ The message she text out had no useful information in it so he turned his gaze carefully back to her. There wasn't much he could see without being too obvious. He did notice a note written neatly on her hand in black ink. It was directions to the room the lecture was being held. _Couldn't she have set a reminder on her phone?_ Normally he would view this behavior as immature but he actually found it quite charming in her case. The elevator doors opened, breaking his observation and causing her to jump and type out a quick goodbye before putting her phone into the pocket of her coat. He read the goodbye on his own phone before sliding his own phone in the pocket of his slacks. 

Jaehee sighed, returning the document to it's portfolio. Jumin looked over at her, debating whether or not to tell her. She smiled politely at him and motioned with her head to exit the elevator. A few people, including MC, had already departed.


	2. At First Sight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for all of the positive responses to this story line. The idea behind this story line came out of no where so I'm as excited as the rest of you are to see where it goes c;

As the elevator finally reached the tenth floor, MC typed up a quick goodbye message. Before she put the phone in her pocket, she paused for a brief moment. _Hm, Jumin Han was in the room? I wonder why he didn't say anything?_  
She followed several others out of the elevator, all of them turning right while she went left. She quickened her pace and bowed to the attendant standing at the door. The young women led her to her internship group which she prominently greeted. The room was filled to capacity - possibly 300 other students in attendance. She sat down beside the one person she had grown close to within the group - a young man named Wang Yeo. 

"Cutting it close there, MC." His smile was both teasing and kind. Out of everyone in the group, he was the only one that didn't see it as a competitive shark tank. Yeo had a kind demeanor and often helped MC with studying. Ever the mother hen, he was even the one to write down the location of this lecture on her hand for her. 

MC shrugged out of her coat and placed it on the back of her chair. "Got distracted." There was no way in hell she could tell Yeo of all people that she was lead to an empty apartment by a random person on a secretive app. His head may literally pop off. Her eyes widened as she thought up a simple sorta-kinda white lie. "I was looking for apartments in a nearby neighborhood. May have found one." 

"No way! You'll have to show it to me!" His kind, supportive tone filled her with guilt.

"Oh. Yeah! Absolutely! I'll send you pictures!" Screenshots of the inside should be okay, right? _Better run it by V later... If they want me to stick around, they're going to HAVE to help me cover up some blank spots in my personal life.._

The lights began to dim and a bright stage light kicked on, illuminating the stage. All of the students in the group whipped out notebooks - except for MC and Yeo who shared an eye roll at the others' expense.

"Do you know who is even going to be here..?" Yeo whispered, dipping down so that his chin was nearly touching MC'S shoulder. 

"A bunch of rich men that will tell us they worked hard to get here and that we can do it too!" MC gave a mock thumbs up. The pair shared a quiet laugh before Yeo got elbowed by one of the other members of the group. 

The lecture ended up being much more informative and inspiring than MC thought it would be. Occasionally, her and Yeo would share a laugh over an overly preachy presenter or a mismatched toupee. After three business executives presented, Chairman Han from C&R International was introduced. The room broke out into polite applause as they did between each presenter. An overly zealous women in the front row stood up, clapping well above her head. Ever in sync, Yeo and MC locked eyes with each other and quietly snorted in laughter at the the level of hype this woman had. 

Once the room quieted down, Chairman Han spoke. "Thank you all for your attention during this event. You are the faces of the next generation of business. I could preach all day but I am but an old man." The room laughed politely as he shrugged softly and smiled as well. "I do however know of someone much closer to your age group that I feel as though would be able to relate to you all much better than my generation. I am proud to introduce my only son and CEO to C&R International, Jumin Han!"

The room erupted in applause that were much louder than before. Students began to rise to their feet but MC remained planted in her seat. _...Jumin...Jumin HAN...As in...?!_ MC flew to her feet but did not join in on the clapping. She was too busy standing on the tips of her toes, trying to see over the students in front of her at the man walking out on stage. She didn't notice her jaw drop nor did she feel Yeo's hands on her shoulder shaking her. _What...what the hell?!_

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Sure enough, as they departed the elevator the young woman took a left towards the same lecture hall Jumin and Jaehee were heading to. _There's no other explanation. I need to talk to V._ Jaehee walked beside him, reading out the topics he was supposed to cover during his segment of the seminar. Of course, he already had the topics memorized so he was able to drown her out and focus on the woman walking a fair distance away from them. Her pace was quick for the height of her heels. Impressive balance. The peacoat she wore was of a lower quality but it fit her frame quite nicely. The slacks she wore hugged the curves of her legs well too. Strands of her hair escaped around the nape of her neck from her up-do probably due to the tempo of her walk. _Luciel was right..she was cute._ He watched as the attendant led her into the room. Jaehee and him entered a separate door which led to the hallway to backstage. 

"You're distracted. Elizabeth the 3rd is fine. I'm sure she'll adjust to her weightloss diet.."Jaehee started, breaking Jumin's trance. 

"I'm sure she will be. Assistant Kang, can you please check in with father? I need to make a call." With a quick bow, Jaehee entered a room backstage where the executives were lounging. Jumin retrieved his phone from his pocket and scrolled quickly to his old friend's contact. As the phone rang, he peaked behind a tall black curtain. The lights in the room were still lit. His eyes roamed the room. _Where is she?_

"Hello, Jumin." V's voice all but sang through the other end. 

"V. I don't have much time. But I need to share this with you." Jumin paused when he finally found MC sitting in a group in the middle of the meeting room. She was smiling at the young man she sat next to. "She's here. The new member."

"What? How can you be sure?" V's normally calm voice grew louder but he quickly dropped the tone. "Only Luciel has seen her.."

"We were in the elevator together. I saw the RFA chatroom clearly on her screen." Jumin's eyes narrowed as the other student leaned close to her shoulder. What was this feeling in his chest? "She didn't see me. But I'm presenting in a seminar she is attending."

V sighed. "So she'll recognize your name from the chatroom. Well, at the very least, this answers a lot of questions about her. I'll have Luciel research the colleges attending this event. At least we'll be able to verify her profile." 

Jumin could barely hear the words his friend was speaking as he held his phone in front of his face and stuck it around the curtain. With a steady hand, he took a quick photo of the man sitting next to her. 

"Jumin?" V's voice could barely be heard as Jumin looked at his screen and emailed the picture he took to V.

"Please have Luciel research this individual too." Jumin said in a low voice. "He seems like a security threat" 

V paused, looking at the blurry but passable photo Jumin sent. "Err. Sure. Is she on the right or left of this guy?" 

Jumin cocked his head slightly, observing the two sharing what appeared to be a pleasant conversation. Why did this unnerve him? "His left. I have to go." Without a proper farewell, he hung up and continued to observe them before forcing himself to turn away from them.

Jumin stayed in the area behind the curtain rather than joining the others in the lounge. For some reason, he was irritated. He wasn't use to this feeling. Things tended to always go his way and people always made an effort to please him. But he was never so displeased in his life. Assistant Kang seemed to sense his irritability so she remained with his father and kept him company until he went out on stage. It was then that she finally approached him. "You'll be up in an estimated three minutes. Your father is just introducing you."

"Thank you." Jumin mumbled as Jaehee bowed. As she turned to give him space, Jumin called out to her. "Assistant Kang. Clean my plans tonight and take all of my calls." He adjusted his cufflinks before heading towards the entry way of the stage. "I have an obligation tonight."


	3. Going Out

MC fell to her chair with a soft thud, her eyes transfixed on the man standing at the podium. He didn't smile politely like the previous presenters and he was easily only a few years older than her. 

"Earth to MC?" Yeo waved his hand in front of her eyes causing her to blink and look over at him. _I can't tell Yeo how I know him...Well, 'know him' is an overstatement... He thinks I'm a top secret spy/hacker._

"I..I did a report on him in high school. Crazy to see him in person!" The second lie of the day? Yeo deserved better than her. Before she could drown in her own guilt, Jumin Han spoke.

"Good afternoon." The girl in front of MC pulled her phone out and took a quick photo of the Jumin. Another girl whispered something about him being the most eligible bachelor. Yet another whispered something about him being gay.

"I've always believed that time is money so I will keep this short and simple." He paused, his eyes drifting around the room and for a moment, they locked with MC's before they continued to observe the crowd. "It is of human nature to doubt ourselves. Doubt our abilities, our success, and our own dreams. There is one thing that separates the successful from the failures." His eyes returned to MC's. _Whoa..._ "Effort. There is nothing you can't achieve by just putting in the appropriate amount of effort. You have to take what is yours. My success relies simply on the fact that I always, _always_ , take what is mine." His eyes burned into MC's until finally they looked away and surveyed the room again. "Thank you for your time. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon." With a slight bow, he departed the stage. The erupted in applause as he disappeared behind the curtain. The host then walked out and began the dismissal part.

"Whoa. He was intense. He was looking right over here!" Yeo breathed as the rest of the room talked excitedly of his short but passionate speech. 

"I would say so..." MC couldn't shake the feeling that he was looking directly at her but self doubt easily cooled that assumption. He had no idea who she was or what she looked like. Only Seven knew. Probably anyone in this corner of the room felt he was doing the same to them. Yeo and MC stayed with the group for a moment and made plans to meet in a few hours at a local bar. The class president had promised to buy the group drinks and even though MC didn't typically drink, watching Yeo get wasted was always entertaining. 

As the group disbanded, MC pulled back on her peacoat and retrieved her phone from her pocket. She had several notifications from the RFA Chatroom. Not one of them were from Jumin Han.

____

MC spent a majority of the afternoon with Yeo at a local library, studying for an upcoming exam. The pair made their way to MC's old apartment so that she could change her clothes - Yeo deciding to remain in the dark blue dress shirt and black slacks he wore to the seminar.  
_I'm going to need to move at least my clothes over to the other apartment soon...I'm sure it can wait until tomorrow._ During their study session, MC would occasionally pop in to the RFA Chatroom, curious to see if Jumin would mention anything about today. To her disappointment, he didn't log in to the chat. She saw that Jaehee mentioned something about him having plans. She was excited to have an evening to herself.

Yeo played on his phone in the living room while MC changed. She opted for skinny jeans and the same white button up-collared shirt she wore earlier. She tucked the material into her jeans and slipped on a pair of well-worn black Converse. She freed her long hair from it's bun-prison and brushed it out until it was straight. Hearing her bed room door open, Yeo looked in her direction and stood upon her entrance. He did a whirling motion with his pointer finger and MC pirouetted on the wooden floors. 

Yeo chuckled. "Only you could make casual look so good." Reaching for her jacket, he tossed it to her. "Let's get going."

____

The sun had set but the street was illuminated brilliantly from a combination of string lights and bustling bars. Other young adults near their age littered the street, all bundled up against the cold from the oncoming winter weather. MC and Yeo walked side by side, shoulders occasionally brushing as they shared jokes and careless conversation. 

Yeo suddenly paused, his head tilting up to take in the carefully hung lights that connected from building to streetlight and back again."I always forget how beautiful this street is at night. Oi, we study too much. Hey!" Snaking his arm through MC's, he took his phone out of his pocket. "Let's get a picture to commiserate our first night off in weeks!" Bending as his knees to meet MC'S height, he extended his arm. She used the image of the pair that appeared on his screen as a mirror to adjust her bangs before following his lead and holding up a 'v for victory sign'. Yeo straightened his posture and grinned at his screen. "I'll have to share this to Insta!" 

After a few moments, they reached the bar. Their group was already seated at the bar top, waving at them enthusiastically as they entered. MC hung her jacket on a hook near the entrance of the door and followed Yeo towards their classmates. The bar was rather busy, most of the booths and stand alone tables filled. It had been the bar of choice for college kids in the area so most of the patrons were their age. The bar was long enough to need three bartenders behind it - all of which MC recognized from school. There was a designated dancing area on the other side of the bar from them. A group of young women had already took to it, dancing along to a slower rap song. 

MC was a relaxed person by nature but even if she was feeling rather overwhelmed by the large work load of senior year. A round of sake had already been ordered. As the bartender lined them up for the group, to Yeo's surprise, MC grabbed one. She shrugged and smiled up at her friend. "Let's have a good time tonight!" The group 'cheered' their glasses and downed the shots, cheering after everyone had finished. 

Yeo had perched himself up on a stool as MC put her empty glass down on the counter. His hand landed on her shoulder. "Take it easy, kid." He smiled as his hand moved up to push her hair over her shoulder. "No need to go too hard too fast." MC smiled, unable to tell if the warmth in her chest was from the alcohol or from the way her friend cared for her. 

"No worries. Not tonight." She smiled. A sudden buzz in her back pocket distracted her. As she pulled her phone out, Yeo leaned back in his chair and began to chat with another male student next to him. MC unlocked her phone, her eye widening as she saw that she had received a message from Jumin Han via the RFA Chat. She peered up at Yeo and turned so that the back of her phone was facing him. She didn't need him being nosy.

 **Jumin Han:** I wanted to apologize to you. I think I'm going to just trust V's judgement. The others seem to enjoy your presence as well.

She blinked a few times but found herself feeling a sense of relief.

 **MC:** You don't have to apologize! Not every day a random girl falls in your lap.  
**Jumin Han:** You shouldn't be so careless.  
**MC:** ?  
**Jumin Han:** Falling in men's laps. Could send a wrong message.  
**MC:** It was a figure of speech.. Not literal, Mr. Han.  
**Jumin Han:** ...  
**Jumin Han:** Just stay out of men's laps.

MC's free hand covered her mouth, trying to keep in her laugh. _I guess it makes sense that Mr. Serious would take things so literally._

**MC:** Yes, sir. 

She waited a few moments, but he didn't reply back. Her eyes peered over the top of her phone to see Yeo staring inquisitively at her. "What are _you_ giggling at over there??"  
MC flipped her phone on silent and returned it to her back pocket. "Nothing, dear. Let's have another round!" 


	4. Deer in Headlights

"...I'm just saying that they were trying to taking advantage of you, Mr. Han." Jaehee gathered a pile of papers that sat at the edge of the table, her voice laced with concern and distaste. Ever since the seminar, Jumin had not been able to think straight. His mind had been wandering during the meeting with the foreign car company. He found himself nodding along with everything they said even when they slid him a piece of paper. He was close to signing the deal when Jaehee thankfully stepped in. She literally grab the pen out of Jumin's hand and ended the meeting by promising a decision by the end of next week. 

"Hm." Jumin stared thoughtfully out the giant floor-to-ceiling window after the men had left the room. "Actually not a bad business move on their part. Extremely unethical but not uncommon..." 

Jaehee stopped for a moment, examining her boss. Jumin was never this distracted. His eyes had darted to his phone frequently during the meeting. _Who was he waiting to contact him..?_

"I suppose you're right." She observed him for another moment. Surely there was a correlation between his need for the evening off and his constant concern over his phone. _Oh..what if he met a girl?_ Jaehee internally scoffed at her own thought. _Yeah right. Maybe he is getting another cat.. Or maybe he's actually talking to a guy....Hmm._ She stared at Jumin for a moment while he continued to peer out the window, thinking about all of the rumors she had heard herself regarding his sexuality. _Naw. Has to be a cat._

 

____

The sun was beginning to set when Jaehee and Jumin went their separate ways. Jumin had just climbed in the back of Mr. Kim's car when his phone finally rang.

"Luciel." 

"Suh boss man. Your very own Private Investigator reporting for duty!" 

"Information, please." Jumin sighed. He was losing daylight. He needed answers. Now.

"Oii, yes commander. Wang Yeo. 22. DOB March 30th. Senior in University majoring in Business Relations. Based on his social media profiles, he is single..." Luciel trailed off for a moment. "Oh, he just shared a photo on Insta. Cuteeee!!!"

Jumin's eye brows pulled together in confusion. He pulled his phone away from his face as a notification chimed. He froze as he took in the picture that appeared on his screen. MC and that boy. 

"Luciel, give me the location of where this photo was taken." Jumin hissed.

"But... V warned us to keep our distance." Luciel retorted, slightly taken aback at his uncharacteristic tone of voice.

"I expect it in 5 minutes." Jumin hung up. Why did he feel the need to throw his phone? He never felt the need to feel any emotions towards anyone. He respected his dad and adored Elizabeth the 3rd. He also appreciated the members of RFA. But in this moment, he felt real anger. What was this other feeling though? Could it be jealousy..? His phone chimed, Luciel sending him an address to a street not far from there. Using the Bluetooth on his phone, he sent the directions to the car's GPS. "Mr. Kim." Without another word, Mr. Kim drove.

____

Jumin exited the car before Mr.Kim had a chance to open his door. He had shared a few texts with MC on the ride over, but the conversation did nothing to calm his nerves. In fact, he felt even more frustrated in ways he couldn't pin point. The address did not list a specific building and the street was lined with different bars. Jumin walked for a few moments, peering in the glass windows when suddenly, he saw her. He entered the bar but stayed at a distance to observe her.

She had let her hair loose, the dark locks contrasting with her pale skin. Her cheeks were lightly flushed and she was in the process of sorta-dancing, more like swaying...maybe even potentially singing? The man known as Wang Yeo gazed at her with an amused smile. Jumin's eyes narrowed as he took in the number of empty bottles around them. _Was she intoxicated? How careless could she be around that...what term would Zen use...?_ Wang Yeo stood up at that moment, grabbing MC's hand, pulling her in another direction. She laughed but shook her head in a 'no' motion repeatedly. _That's right...a wolf.._

Before Jumin could properly plan his next move, his legs were moving. It took no more than five seconds to reach the pair. MC saw him before Yeo realized what was happening. Her already large eyes widened, her mouth hanging open. Jumin's heart jumped. _She recognizes me._

"M...Mr. Han?!" MC shrieked.

_Mm..I think I preferred sir..._

______________

"I'm good, I'm good, I'm great...know it's been a while, now I'm mixing up the drank. I just need a girl who gon' really understanddd...." For as drunk as MC was, she was enunciating the lyrics to the song playing in the bar perfectly.

Yeo's eye widened as MC danced in a slow swaying motion, eyes closed, spouting off lyrics to a song he could never in a million years picture her listening to let alone memorizing the lyrics to.

"Wow, girl. Didn't know you dabbled in rap." Yeo marveled. She opened her eyes and smiled, clearly pleased with herself. 

Yeo and MC had known each other for nearly two years, but they only recently became friends this year. Their junior year, they shared a class together and she was always late. One day, Yeo had been retrieving tests from another professor when he saw MC wandering around, wide eyed and out of breath. When she saw him, she had rushed over towards him.

"Hey, you're in my class right?? Which hall is in it again?" 

"It's halfway through the semester and you still don't remember?" Her eyes had dropped and Yeo immediately felt guilty for scolding her. He reached for the pen in his pocket and grabbed her arm. His fingers gripped on to her forearm and he quickly jotted down the classroom number and hallway before she could pull away. She took a moment to read his writing and rewarded him with her beaming smile and a quick informal bow before running the opposite direction of him. He had chuckled in spite of himself as she tore off down the hall. 

He became further intrigued by MC when they were both put in the same internship group their senior year. Yeo managed to stay near the top of his class and MC always fell in the middle. Why would they pair her with a group that was filled with the elite of their graduating class? 

It didn't take long for Yeo to discover why. What MC lacked in wit, she made up for by her extroverted, uninhibited demeanor. There wasn't one person in the entire university she didn't get along with. Their business professors had quickly picked up on that and had helped push her towards a Human Resource degree- one that ran adjacent to Yeo's Business Relations degree. As he got to know her more, he saw sides to her that she kept under wraps from the other students. They spent many late night study sessions teasing each other and playfully mocking their fellow students. Her sarcastic sense of humor never failed to have him rolling. 

They became inseparable much to the dismay of the male student population. Not that any of them stood a chance. MC was ignorant to her own captivating charm. She was extremely naive when it came to relationships. That's probably why their friendship worked. She was innocent and Yeo was strong willed. But even Yeo was learning his limits. 

Yeo glanced over towards the dance floor and noticed that most of the group had moved over there.

"Hey, Missy MC let's go let loose some of that creative energy on the dance floor." He stood up and reached for her hand, walking towards the group. But MC pulled back, shaking her head. 

She giggled at the boo boo face he made as he gave another small tug."Nooo way, Yeo. "Her fingers entwined with his, her eyes pleading. Before Yeo could process with his alcohol buzzed brain what was happening, the grin had disappeared from MC's face. Her care free expression was replaced with disbelief. The name she spoke came out more like a gasp than an actual name. Everything came together when Yeo saw the face the name belonged to. The only thing that still didn't make sense was the level of seething anger coming from the it.


	5. Together

"M...Mr. Han?!" MC shrieked. She watched as he approached her - prey being hunted. His facial features were calm but his eyes were burning into hers. She was so absorbed by his piercing gaze that she didn't even notice Yeo's fingers digging slightly into her arm. "Do you know him?" Yeo mumbled but MC didn't hear him. Jumin didn't stop his approach until he was right in front of her. MC had to tilt her head back a little to see his face; he had a few inches even on Yeo. He wore the same suit that he sported at the seminar, the color of the set as dark as his currently disheveled hair. The scent of his cologne mixed with the clean scent from the cold outside. His sharp eyes drifted down to Yeo's hand on MC's arm and narrowed.

"I don't think she wants to dance." Jumin murmured, his voice low. MC saw him look behind them at the collection of shot glasses. "Nor should she be." 

She scoffed, drawing Jumin's attention back to her face. Her arms crossed, causing her to pull out of Yeo's grip. "Excuse me, _sir_ but I am perfectly fine." Her pointer finger found his chest, poking accusingly at the firm body beneath. "I know you're the boss of a lot of people, but you're not the boss of this gal." 

_Fuck yeah, Mr. Han. That'll teach ya. Wait. Did I just finger jab a billionaire?_ A war between her conscious and pride waged on as the alcohol joined in on the battle against her better judgement. The liquid courage was helping her pride win the battle. Amusement, belligerence, and what appeared to even be excitement flicked through Jumin's eyes before he finally spoke. 

"May I speak to you for a moment?" The tone of his voice was level, but the question didn't really seem to be a question. Jumin's eyes darted to Yeo. "Alone." 

Before MC could answer, Jumin was walking towards a hallway that led to an outdoor patio. Before Yeo could begin to drill her with a thousand questions, MC feigned a confident smile at him. "This will only be a moment! Save me a dance!" As Yeo opened her mouth, she turned on her heel and quickly followed after Jumin. _Luckily he's drunk or I'd never have managed to get away..._

Following after Jumin, MC opened the door and was greeted with a rush of frigid air. The patio chairs had been placed upside down on the tables in preparation for the impending winter weather. Hidden in the back alley of the bar, the patio was empty besides the man that stood several feet away with his back currently turned. The low bass from the music within the bar hummed softly behind them but besides that, the night had grown quiet. Any and all people that had been on the street had retreated to the warmth of the surrounding buildings. As the heavy door clicked closed softly behind MC, Jumin turned to look at her, his hands buried deep in his pockets. Seeing him this close up was nothing compared to his pictures in the chatroom or even seeing him on stage. Even in MC's tipsy state, she felt intimidated by him. 

"You haven't updated your avatar in the chatroom yet." Jumin's statement confused MC for a moment. _How is that relevant right now?_

"Uh. Oh, I'm sorry? I didn't really have time to... I had a..." 

"...seminar today."He finished for her. "I saw you. We were actually in the same elevator." Jumin continued to stare at her. "Had you updated your avatar, I would have been certain that it was you."

MC blinked, confused by where he was going with this and why he seemed so cross with her. _Okay, I know I'm drunk but what the hell is happening here?_

"I.. I'm sorry, I didn't even notice you in the elevator. It's been kind of a hectic day.."She spoke carefully, testing where he was going with this whole conversation. 

"Are you always so careless?" His voice was calm, but laced with irritation. "You don't even notice someone standing right next to you? You go out and become intoxicated in the presence of a man?"

MC scoffed her eyes widening in disbelief. "Excuse me? Did we not just meet today? Is it not even more careless of me to have followed a man I barely know out into the night?" 

"That's exactly my point. You are careless." Jumin affirmed, nodding his head. 

MC paused for a moment, watching him in complete disbelief. He was so serious, so decisive, and in this moment humorously hypocritical. Did he even realize that by scolding her, he was also attacking his own actions? "Mr. Han..."

"Please, call me Jumin. You sound like Assistant Kang." 

"Jumin. I appreciate your concern. But I have lived every day of my life without you up until this point and I've been fine. Why all of a sudden do you think I need a knight in shining armor?" She crossed her arms at this point, both to block some of the chill and to show some sense of strength.

Jumin stared at her thoughtfully, his expression barely faltering. "Regardless of whether or not you need me, I think I need you." 

MC's cheeks immediately stung as the heat that flooded them met with the cold air outside. His confession mixed with her intoxicated state threw her in a whirlwind. 

"I'll admit that this may seem a bit..." He stopped for a moment, searching.

"Careless?" MC offered, her eyebrows cocking up and a smile pulling at one corner of her lips. Her face heated even more when Jumin's eyes locked to that very corner of her lips.

"...unplanned." Jumin corrected. "But you fascinate me in a way no woman ever has before. I need to know you more. And I can't do that if you continue to be careless. If you become a security threat, Seven and V will remove your from RFA."

Was Jumin just trying to protect a new member? Surely he knew that the group of students today at the seminar were all of higher rankings so maybe he was viewing her as an asset? 

"Look, I get where you're coming from.."She stopped for a moment, considering."..I think. I'll do my best moving forward to be more considerate of my role in RFA. As it is so new, I guess I wasn't thinking straight." Her hands rubbed up and down her arms, trying to create some friction for warmth. "You didn't have to track me down and chastise at me." She mumbled and then sighed as she turned to go back inside. "I'll see you in the chat, Mr. Han."

________________

Jumin wasn't sure in this moment if she was really this dense or maybe even it was he. He observed her for a moment after she apologized for something she clearly misunderstood. Before he could speak, she was opening the door back to the bar. He stumbled after her, opening the door just before it could shut after her and before she could go back down the hallway to the main space of the bar. 

"Wait." Without thinking, he grabbed her arm and spun her to meet his gaze. The space of the hallway was small and dark, warmer than outside but still chilled from the vicinity of the door. As she turned to look at him, her bangs moved over her wide eyes, inhibiting her line of sight. His right hand remained on her arm, while his left hand moved to readjust her bangs. The coldness in the tips of his fingers warmed from the heat radiating from her cheeks. He suddenly realized his brash move, as he returned both of his hands to his sides. She stared up at him and he was surprised to see more fascination than shock on her face. Before her friend came hunting her down, he needed to correct her assumption.

"You misunderstood me." The music of the bar was much louder within the walls of the bar so he moved closer so she could clearly hear him. "I'm sure the you will excel at your roll in RFA. That's not my concern. You are a low profile individual so I'm also not worried about you being out with your friends..."He stopped for a moment and the image of MC and Yeo outside of the bar popped up in his mind. "Well, most of them I'm not worried about.." He needed to extinguish his irritation before she became defensive again. "MC. When I say I think I need you, I mean I, Jumin Han. Not RFA. Not C&R. Me. I need to get to know you." He leaned closer and began adjusting the collar of her white blouse. "I'd apologize if this seems forward, but as I said earlier, I always tend to get what I want." His eyes moved to her now-parted lips. She gazed thoughtfully at him, the only indication that she had heard a word he said was the flush in her cheeks. He had moved his hand to rest on our shoulder, noting the slight rise and fall of her chest as her breathing accelerated ever so slightly. Body language in business was important so Jumin was well attuned as well as pleased in the effect his words were having. MC showed her own level of strength in the way she continued to watch him and to Jumin's surprise, that same corner on her soft lips pulled up in a smirk he found himself relishing. 

"And Yeo told _me_ not to go too hard and fast earlier..." She teased, chuckling softly. Jumin blinked down at her, the irritation caused by that name returning. 

"What setting were you in that it would be appropriate for him to say that to you?" Jumin retorted. Feeling this out of control was a new feeling for him. A carnal need to mark MC in a way that would repel away not only Yeo but other males bubbled up. His question caused only invoked MC to giggle harder. Confused by her reaction, his irritation only grew. 

His free hand moved under her chin, adjusting her face upwards to meet his gaze causing her laughter to finally stop. Jumin became too aware of her in that moment. The softness of her skin and the warmth caused by the mixture of unspoken emotions and alcohol. The soft floral and coconut smell from her hair products. The ease of which her body reacted to his. He didn't notice himself leaning towards her until he felt the softness of her lips against his. The soft curves of her lips remained unmoved as he moved his hand from her chin to the wall behind them. Feeling less restricted, MC leaned towards him and hesitantly returned the reserved kiss. Prompted by her invitation, Jumin placed his hand from her shoulder to her waist moving her against the wall. In return, MC placed a hand on his chest, parting her lips slightly as Jumin tilted his head. He felt his head begin to feel lighter, his instincts threatening to take over but he managed to suspend them. In this moment, Jumin knew he could get what he wanted. But he also knew the circumstances were not right, even too indulgent on his end and in her state. His lips stilled and he pulled back slightly her eyes opening to meet his.

He gave a small reassuring squeeze on her waist. "It was lovely meeting you today. I promise I'm not usually this..." He paused.

"Careless?" MC breathed, smirking up at him. This time he returned the smile. 

"Careless." This time, he agreed. "You should get back to...your friend." The word left a distaste in his mouth but he figured at least for tonight, he had made his mark in her memory."I will be reaching out to you via the chat later tonight to make sure you get home okay. He sighed, taking a step back as MC smoothed out the material of her blouse.

"Mm." MC hummed thoughtfully, a question popping up. "Jumin. How exactly did you know where I was?"

"Social media. Seven found that boy so Insta." Jumin answered matter-of-factly.

MC's eyes narrowed as she looked up at him. "You guys stalked Yeo?" Her voice was filled with accusations that confused Jumin.

"I was just answering honestly. I wanted to make sure you were safe. When I saw him with you at the seminar..."Jumin paused as he grabbed his phone and showed her the picture he took of them sitting in the audience, Yeo clearly the focal point.

MC stared at the photo, completely dumbfounded. "You can't just take pictures of people! I knew you guys were doing research on me but stalking Yeo? Too far, don't you think?" 

"No, not really.." Jumin frowned. "His account was public so it is free information." _Even if it wasn't public, that wouldn't stop Seven..._

"Oh, it won't be public for long. Tell Seven to knock it off." MC snapped. "And you." She started but paused, her eyes moving from his lips to his chest and back to his eyes. "Behave yourself. Be it the RFA or whatever..." She pointed between him and her. "...this was or is, I'll always be friends with Yeo." 

Jumin listened to her mini outburst and couldn't help but feel amused. When was the last time someone stood up to him, let alone told him what to do?

"Duly noted." He said dryly, knowing it wouldn't be the last time this conversation would come up. No sense in arguing about it now. MC nodded her head once as though she had won before taking a deep breath and looking in the direction of the main bar area. In contrast with her recent outbreak, her eyes glanced up at him shyly. "A..are you staying?" 

Warmth spread through his chest at the display of strength and softness she possessed. "No. I have work to finish tonight. I will be speaking to you soon, I'm sure." He gestured with his hand down the hall. "Allow me to walk with you for a moment at least." MC nodded slowly before turning down the hall. Jumin stayed close to her as the music grew louder. As they emerged he scanned the bar for MC's friends only to see them all currently occupying the dance floor. The Yeo boy was in the center of the group, a girl currently dancing in extremely close proximity of him. Feeling slightly reassured, Jumin looked down at MC whom was currently looking up at him.

She smiled softly up at him. "Who knew I would have not only got to hear Jumin Han speak today but also meet him." 

He grinned back, his hands moving to his pockets again. "Among other things too..." His voice trailed off in a suggestive way that earned him yet another flushed color on her cheeks. "But before I go, I must ask you a favor." MC tilted her head curiously as Jumin leaned down so that his lips were near her ear. "Please don't add a picture of yourself to the chat. I would be far too jealous of the other members witnessing your beauty."

Before she could dispute this request with him, Jumin walked past her offering nothing but a wave over his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jumin returned to his apartment and opened a new bottle of wine. One glass in, and already the new feelings he experienced this evening were colliding with his method of turning off his emotions. Who could he discuss this phenomenon with? His thumb scrolled to the very bottom of his contact list, tapping on a familiar white-haired RFA member. He lifted his phone to his ear as the dial tone started.


	6. Advice

The knocking on his door did not surprise Jumin but the fact that Zen brought Seven along certainly had. Glass of wine in hand, he stepped aside to let the pair in. 

"Ooo where is my Elly??" Seven peered around the entrance way to Jumin's penthouse while Zen held a handkerchief up to his nose.

"At the cat sitters." Jumin closed the door and made his way to the seating area. As he sat down, Zen and Seven looked at each other in both shock and concern.

"Shit man, this must be serious." Zen mumbled while he followed Jumin over and sat on the armchair opposite the coffee table. Seven grabbed the empty bottle of wine and took it to the kitchen.

Jumin crossed his leg and stared thoughtfully across the room. Seven reappeared with a can of beer that he handed to Zen while he untwisted a cap from a bottle of water. He sat next to Jumin on the couch.

 

"So." Seven began, taking a sip and eyeing Jumin carefully. "Was she surprised?" 

 

"She was more annoyed at first than anything." Jumin said while Zen scoffed.

 

"Incase either of you were wondering, it isn't exactly normal for a billionaire to stalk you in a local bar." Zen cracked open the beer and took a long drink. "You're lucky she didn't call the police, Trust Fund Kid."

"Ju Ju, what Zen is trying to say is you don't know her and she doesn't know you. She's sweet in the room and has passed every background check known to man. But it hasn't even been 24 hours since we met her." Zen nodded along with Seven's statement. 

 

Jumin shook his head though he still stared absently away. "It's not that simple. I need to know her."

Seven began to open his mouth when Jumin looked over at him. "And I'm not talking about her credit score or grade point average." He sighed. "Do you think I scared her away?"

Zen sat forward retriving his phone from his back pocket. "Well there is only one way to know!" Grabbing his beer, he moved over to the couch and sat between Seven and Jumin while the RFA app loaded. The familiar homescreen popped up. "Well...she was last logged in an hour ago."

Jumin nodded, scooting closer to Zen. "That was about when we separated." Jumin was just about to peer over at Zen's screen when Zen gasped, pulling his phone to his chest. 

"Oh, sweet lord!" 

"What?" Both Seven and Jumin spoke at the same time, the two moving in and sandwiching Zen. Jumin reached for the phone but Seven was faster. Zen fanned himself as Seven's eyes widened. Zen moved closer to look at the screen a second time while Jumin finally stood up. After nearly tripping over the leg of his coffee table, he finally made his way behind the couch where he promptly pulled Zen's phone from Seven's grasp. The pair stared up at Jumin's face as he absorbed the image on the screen.

Despite his request, MC had added a profile picture of herself. Large almond eyes stared back at him full of challenge. Her smile was wide and bright but full of mischief. She obviously took this picture herself as only her upper torso and face were visible - but too much of her was visible. The top two buttons of the white blouse she was wearing were undone revealing a decent amount of two soft mounds over the top of a white lace bra. 

Zen and Seven held their breaths, both jumping when Jumin's eyes finally found Seven's. "Delete it."

Seven started, his eyes widening. "I...can't just delete it. She uploaded the image. I'd need to hack her log in..."

"Then do it." 

"Jumin, we literally already saw it. It's not like Jaehee is in to girls and V never logs in..." Zen stated.

 

"And I'm sure Yoosung alread screenshot it..." Seven began to joke but quickly withdrew when Jumin's eyes narrowed. 

"Delete Yoosung from the chat."

"Yo! Trust Fund Kid, knock it off. You think I like seeing our pure MC in this state?" Zen snatched his phone from Jumin. "She's obviously rebeling for some reason..." He took a long drag from his beer. "Maybe an overly controlling person she just met.." He mumbled.

"It was a simple request and she disobeyed me.." Jumin speculated moving back around the couch to his spot. His sloppy movements were the only sign that he was drunk. Outside of that he was still articulate. "Nobody ignores me."

Zen chuckled. "I think I love her! You aren't God, man. You barely are anything to her." 

Jumin recalled their encounter and the way she returned his kiss. He could definitely tell that she could be definite but he knew there was something there. She was a very kind person but obviously there was some spice behind those large eyes and innocent disposition. 

Jumin took a swig of his wine. "I think I need to marry her."

Zen gasped, dropping his empty can of beer while Seven spit out the water he had just took a drink of.

"Okay...that's enough wine for you..." Seven stood up and grabbed the wine glass from Jumin while Zen stood as well.

"Come on. Let's go get some sleep.You can propose tomorrow." Zen pulled Jumin to his feet and noticed how his weight shifted from foot to foot. 

"Tomorrow would be best..." Jumin trailed off. "If I go to that bar and see that stupid boy again, I'll have to kill him."

"Yes, Juju. Kill all of the other males tomorrow." Seven called as he took the glass of wine to the kitchen to pour down the drain. After several moments, Zen met Seven in the living space. 

"I took his phone. No drunk proposals tonight." Zen patted his chest pocket. "I think she may be the best thing to ever happen to RFA."

Seven nodded absently. "She'll be a humbling experience for Jumin, that's for sure." 

"...you don't think Yoosung saw that picture yet, do you?" Zen asked.  
"May be why he is offline.." Seven joked.  
"Aye! She is a lady! We need to protect her!" Zen exaggerated.

"No worries. I may not be able to hack her account at the moment, but I was able to adjust the frame size of our profile pictures. Cuts it off right at the good part..s.." 

 

"I'm sure she'll appreciate that once she sobers up in the morning. I think we should crash here tonight.." Zen yawned and eyed his phone - it was already nearly 3 am. 

Seven waggled his eyebrows. "Want to have a little fun?"

Seven ran over to the large bed where Jumin now lay passed out. Seven waved Zen over and pointed at the pocket where Jumin's phone was. Zen creeped slowly over to the bed, handing over the phone to Seven. Laying down next to Jumin, Seven snapped a picture of the sleeping billionaire. Opening the photo app, he drew a red heart next to the image of Jumin before posting it as Jumin's profile picture in the RFA chatroom. 

Seven gently slid off the bed, handing Jumin's phone back to Zen. "We'll see how interested MC is in Jumin come the AM." He winked at Zen and Zen snorted. 

"Let the drama begin."


	7. Zen

_He’ll never be good enough for her…_

Zen had woken up early to avoid Jumin and Seven – not that is was very difficult. Zen had taken the couch while Seven crashed on Jumin’s bed. While Jumin lay in a normal position, Seven had moved to a horizontal position in his sleep complete with using Jumin’s stomach as a pillow. Before Zen slipped out, he snapped a picture of the scene, snickering to himself. 

Mr. Kim drove Zen to his apartment. During the drive, Zen had opened the RFA chat room. The room was currently empty with no recent activity. He flipped to Jumin’s profile where the image of a sleeping Jumin was still set as his profile image. Then he went to MC’s profile where he found himself staring at her angelic -albeit intoxicated- face. The original less cropped image resurfaced in his memory and he quickly turned off his phone screen for the duration of the drive.

_He’ll never be good enough for her…_

Before he showered, he changed into his gym clothes and went for his normal run. Man, Jumin was a wreck last night. I mean, it isn’t uncommon for him to get drunk, but to be planning an engagement? With a woman at that…guess we owe V the $20. Zen continued to replay the evening in his head until he finished his route and arrived back at his apartment. The more he questioned Jumin’s actions, the biggest question remained unanswered- why MC? Sure, Zen adored her so far but he needed to know exactly who this woman was that won over the cold hearted Jumin.

Without putting more thought in to it, Zen pulled the trigger and clicked on MC’s contact info.

 

The dream she was having had blurred in to shapes and distant noises. One of the sounds grew louder and appealed to some memory in the back of MC’s subconscious. Unable to ignore the sound any longer, her body pulled her awake. Her eyes fluttered open as she rolled to the other side of her bed towards the direction of the sound. Without looking at the screen of her phone, she answered it.

“Hello?” Whoa, is that MY voice? She cleared her throat as an amused, pleasant laugh could be heard on the other end. 

“Good morning, babe!” It took a moment for MC to piece together just who was speaking to her. She had only heard yesterday during their brief first conversation.

“Zen?” She asked and was rewarded with another chuckle.

“The one and only. How are we feeling this morning? I heard you had quite the evening?” He asked, his voice teetering on the edge of teasing.

“Last night?” Memories came crashing down around MC like meteoroids. She sat up and pulled back her bangs. Last night! Mr. Han… I kissed Mr. Han! MC cleared her throat. She could visualize the silver haired actor waiting anxiously on the other end. Wait. “How did you hear about last night? What did you hear about last night?” MC’s voice had risen several octaves.

“Oh not too much, but I was hoping that maybe we could chat about it over lunch?” Zen asked.

“Lunch?” MC considered the invitation for a moment. It was a Saturday which meant no class. And even though Zen seemed to butt heads with Jumin, maybe he could offer more insight in to what kind of person he was. “Lunch sounds…great!”

“Great!” He echoed her response. “I’ll message you the address of my favorite café. See you soon, babe!” 

Zen hung up the phone faster than MC could pull the phone away from her face. 

_____________________________________________  
After a quick shower, MC left her apartment to go meet up with Zen at the address he sent over. Rather than wash her hair, she had tied it up in an updo. She wore her same peacoat to deflect the winter weather over white skinny jeans and white long-sleeved tee. The café Zen had chosen was quaint with tinted windows. When she opened the door, the smell of fresh coffee and sweet pastries enveloped her. 

“MC!” She turned to the sound of her name. His profile image did him no justice. Zen was the absolute god he portrayed himself to be in the chat. But more than his physique, MC was attracted to the welcoming smile that made her feel as though she had known him for years rather than a mere 24 hours. As she approached, he stood to pull her chair out for her. Before she sat down, she shrugged out of her coat and placed it on the back of her chair. 

“Hello, Zen.” She felt suddenly overwhelmed by his presence as they sat down. Everything he did was effortless to the way he crossed his leg over his knee to the way he sat his phone on the table. Was she smiling too much? Staring at his flawless skin too much?

“Monochromatic.” Zen said as he assessed her outfit. “Good taste!” MC noticed how their outfits nearly matched. 

Just then, a young woman obviously as overwhelmed by Zen as MC was approached, eyes low with a nervous smile. As she sat down two cups and a tea kettle, MC peered over at a group of envious onlookers working behind the counter. 

“So tell me.” Zen drew her attention back to him as he poured a cup of hot water in both cups. Was he really that oblivious to the everyone else around them? He reached for a teabag that sat in a ceramic holder, unraveled the string from the mesh tea bag, and dipped the bag in to his cup. 

“MC?” Her eyes shot up to lock with his. He chuckled and waited for her to respond the question she obviously didn’t hear. The blank look on her face must have been enough to inform him that she didn’t hear him. “I had asked you to tell me about your major?” 

___________________________________  
The silence after Zen’s casual question prompted him to look up from his tea making. MC’s eyes were locked on his fingers holding the tea bag. It wasn’t uncommon for Zen to render women speechless, but why did her eyes on his hands doing such a mundane task fluster him so?

“MC?” Her large eyes locked with his, her posture even straightening as though she had been caught doing something bad. “I had asked you to tell me about your major?”  
“Oh! Sorry long night. Which you know about..Somehow..” She trailed off and eyed him suspiciously before answering. “I’m in my last year for human resources.” She absently began pouring herself a cup of tea but not before dumping far too much sugar in the tea cup. 

“Well that would explain why you’re so sweet.” Zen said. He was ready for the giggle and the blush.

“Pshh.” MC scoffed, laughing as she dunked the tea bag in the hot water. “You’re funny, Zen.”

Funny? “I’m funny?” Zen asked, tilting his head. “Not smooth?” He did a wave motion with his hand and cocked an eyebrow.

MC laughed again but not in the giggly way Zen was anticipating. “So smooth.” She smiled at him, her comment filled with sarcasm. As she took a sip of her tea, Zen stared at her thoughtfully. Without a doubt, MC was beautiful. But more than that, she was genuine. From her kind smiles to her playful mannerisms, she had a very attractive personality. And the fact that she would post such a tantalizing photo to spite someone as powerful as Jumin Han?

Zen grinned before taking a sip of his own tea. “MC. I feel as though we’re going to be best friends.” His smile turned in to something a little more mischievous. “Now. Let’s talk about last night.”

MC set her cup down and for the first time, Zen noticed she looked shy. She cleared her throat. “What exactly did Jumin tell you?”

“Why don’t you tell me your side of it?” 

MC shifted in her chair while she slid her pointer finger along the handle of her cup. “I don’t want to slip up and say something Mr. Han deliberately didn’t…” 

Even though Zen didn’t exactly like Jumin, he appreciated the apparent loyalty MC already felt towards him. “He just mentioned that he bumped into you. Well, more like stalked you. Which is odd. Jumin doesn’t really have an infinity for women.”

“Really?” MC seemed to be recalling a memory. Zen then noticed a light pink tint on her cheeks.

“H…hey!” He leaned forward placing a hand on her’s. “He didn’t do anything to you, did he? I mean, Jumin seems so aloof but he IS a man. And all men are wolves!” 

The color on her cheeks deepened. “N..nothing crazy.”

When Zen didn’t respond, MC looked up to meet his probing gaze. “W... we just kissed for a moment.” MC jumped slightly when Zen’s hand shot away from her’s to join his other in front of his mouth to muffle his gasp.

“Jumin Han?? Like, of RFC? He..kissed you?? Where?” 

When she didn’t immediately answer, Zen intervened again. “ON THE LIPS?? You had only known each other less than 12 hours at that point!” Zen grabbed the small drink menu and began fanning himself. “AND THEN YOU POSTED THAT PICTURE?”  
When Zen looked at her, he noted the complete confusion on her face. “What picture?” Zen couldn’t stop his eyes from darting down to her chest. His eyes darted back to her face just as realization slapped her.

MC pushed back from the table. She tilted her head down to her chest and then she looked back up at Zen, her eyes wide and filled with absolute horror. The memory of the “drink that pushed her over the edge” came creeping back. 

_After Jumin’s departure, too many different emotions had been flooding her. “He comes in here thinking he can run my life.” She hiccupped, slamming the cocktail glass down. The restroom was empty at the moment, so she quickly undid the first few buttons of her shirt. She leaned against the counter, turning her front facing camera on and snapping a series of selfies. She opened up the RFA app to see that only Yoosung was online. She went to her profile and uploaded the picture. Closing the app, she sauntered back out to the bar, feeling victorious in the battle that night._

MC began searching frantically for her phone. “Don’t worry, Seven adjusted the frame size to…hide..things.” 

“Seven saw it?! Oh god, who else?” 

“Seven, myself…Jumin.” Zen trailed off as MC shrunk in to her seat.

“And I remember Yoosung being online when I posted it…” MC trailed off.

“Oh, he definitely has that saved somewhere at this point..” Zen stated, crossing his arms over his chest.

MC sighed. “God, you must all think I’m such a fool. I swear I NEVER would have done anything like this but.. Jumin… He drove me crazy” She groaned.

“Well he tends to do that to every one…” Zen paused. “But I’ve never seen anyone drive Jumin crazy. And he was insane last night.”

MC looked up at Zen for the first time in a while, a shed of hope in her eyes. “R..really?”

“Oh, babe he was a wreck last night. Trust me when I say he was ready to do something crazier than what you did last night..” Zen coughed, shaking out the image before it could resurface again. He leaned forward, taking her hands. “Listen, whatever is going on is obviously going fast. Probably too fast. But I hope you can take solace in the fact it is two sided.”

MC smiled softly. “You and Jumin must be really close.”

Zen scoffed. “Hardly.”

MC flipped her hands around so that they were holding Zen’s now. “Zen. Thank you. I know I’m new to the group but you have been amazing. You all have.” 

Zen grinned. “I’ll always be here for you, babe. Even if you have terrible choice in men.” 

They both jumped a little when MC’s phone buzzed on the table. A message notification had popped up alongside an image of a sleeping Jumin. MC stared at the image for a moment.

“I..I can explain! I took that picture.” MC then stared at him, cocking an eye brow again. “We weren’t sleeping together! Well, Seven slept with him but I slept on the couch.” She continued to stare at him. “They weren’t sleeping together, just SLEEPING together!”

While Zen continued to shove his foot in his mouth, MC broke out in laughter. Zen watched her again. Even in the face of everything – the RFA, Jumin Han, college – she still could laugh. 

He’ll never be good enough for her. But she’s exactly what he needs.


	8. Lunch

Just as MC began to read the message from Jumin, Zen’s phone went off as well. The notification was also from Jumin. Zen slid his finger across the message to open it. It took him a moment to fully understand why Jumin would send him this image.

A ring? Why a… “OI!” Zen jumped when he recalled Jumin’s apparently-not-so-alcohol-fused-idea from last night. His phone slid on the counter but he quickly recovered it before MC’s alarmed eyes could lock on the screen. I thought he would forget that plan or at the very least reconsider it! He looked at the image again and swallowed the lump in his throat. A text came through.

 **Jumin** : I think this is the one.

Zen frowned before he began to type a response.

 **Zen** : Let’s talk about this later. Like, maybe when you’ve known her 48 hours.

 **Jumin** : Okay. I’ll do it tomorrow.

 **Zen** : HEY! STOP.

“Zen, why is Jumin asking my ring size?” _Oh for fucks sake_.

“O..oh. He must be ordering you our group ring. Wow that was fast he must really like you.” Zen laughed awkwardly.

Seeming to take the bait, MC resumed typing on her phone with a tiny grin on her face.

_They are both hopeless, aren’t they?_

**Zen** : Please, Jumin. I’m begging you. Let her at least get acquainted with RFA before you pop any questions.

 **Jumin** : I don’t want her to get “acquainted” with any of you.

Jealousy stabbed at Zen’s heart.

 **Zen** : Well only an idiot would propose over text so unless you want to come take her from me…

 **Jumin** : You’re together? Where are you?

Thinking quickly, Zen snatched MC’s phone. “Seven text me! He has to do an extremely important update right NOW.” He quickly began shutting the phones down before Jumin could have anyone pin their location.

_Heh heh. Dumb rich kid._

“I could have shut off my phone..” MC pouted slightly as Zen handed her powered down phone.  
Zen laughed nervously. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Come on, I’ll take you shopping.”

 

* * *

 

“What do you mean you can’t locate either of them?”

“They must have their phones off.” Seven yawned, stretching before sliding on his hoodie. “Calm down, Jumin. I’m sure we’ll be invited to the reception.”

Seven flinched at the daggers Jumin was throwing at him with his eyes.

“Ya know…after they elope.. So touchy in the morning, Juju!” Seven reached for Jumin’s phone before he could attempt to call either MC or Zen for the 18th time.

“Jumin, honestly. I’m sure they are fine. Come on. I’m meeting Yoosung for breakfast. Come with me. I’m sure your company can survive a Saturday morning without you.”

Jumin remained frowning but finally reluctantly agreed.

As the pair headed down to wait on Mr. Kim, Jumin made a few calls. Seven opened the chat and his private messages to find the location of the restaurant. A notification popped up from Jaehee.

 **Jaehee:** Good morning, Luciel. The chat is pretty quiet this AM. Do you know where anyone is?

 **Seven:** Jumin and I are meeting Yoosung for breakfast and Zen is…MIA…with MC.

 **Jaehee** : ?!!?

 **Jaehee** : Zen is with MC?? They’ve met??

 **Seven** : Oh yah. And Jumin is marrying MC. Don’t tell her though. She doesn’t know yet.

 **Jaehee** : I both desperately want to know what is happening but also feel like it will make my head explode.

 **Seven** : Yah. I was kinda hoping you would be able to help me diagnose Jumin’s obsession. Is this how he dates? Is this why he’s single?

 **Jaehee** : I’ve never known Jumin to date. I’m actually almost certain he’s never had a significant other before.

 **Seven** : Hmm. MC must be a witch that cast a spell on him.

 **Jaehee** : I’d believe that over Jumin having romantic feelings toward anyone.

 **Seven** : I think in the meanwhile we should freeze Jumin’s credit card…especially before he buys a ring.

 **Jaehee** : A RING?

 **Seven** : Yup.

 **Jaehee** : Done. I’ll contact his bank now. Please catch me up soon on these..developments..

 **Seven** : Aye, aye Captain Kang!

 

* * *

Jumin finished up his last phone call and immediately opened the app again. Neither were logged on.

When they reached the restaurant, Jumin recognized the area. Across the street from this restaurant was the bar where just hours ago, he was with MC. He could still feel her, smell her, taste her... She not only defied him by posting a picture but posted one in that nature. She was snarky with him but so soft at the same time. He wondered if she was naturally that disobedient or if it was a trait fueled by alcohol. How could he make her more obedient? Did he even want her to be obedient?

The more questions that he thought of the more obvious it became how little he knew about her. He could have Seven research every square inch of her public records but he would never get to truly know her that way.

_I’ll admit it. I still have a lot to learn._

“Uh, hey we’re here.” Seven nudged Jumin’s knee before climbing out of the car. While Mr. Kim opened the door for him, Seven ran over and swept Yoosung off his feet. The youngest member cried out in protest as Seven lifted him higher off the ground with his arms wrapped around his waist.

“My baby boy!” Seven rotated him around before placing him down, giving his hair a quick ruffle.

“P..please don’t do that again, Seven..!” Yoosung adjusted his hair and waved at Jumin as he approached.

They entered the restaurant and took their seats. Seven rambled off some things about the game they both played. Yoosung, normally too eager to talk about the game as well, remained oddly quiet. It was only after the waitress brought over drinks that Seven even noticed the uncharacteristic behavior.

“What’s up with you today?” He asked. Yoosung seemed to become even more uncomfortable with the question as he fidgeted in his chair.

“Uhm.” He fiddled with the buttons on his jacket. “So I was on my phone last night, trying to fall asleep.”

Seven nodded his head, taking a drink through his straw.

“And, well, I was on the app and I got a notification…”

“Cute girl in chemistry?!” Seven nudged his knee with his own from under the table. Jumin noticed the deepening red color on his cheeks and suddenly began to suspect where he was going with this confession. Jumin leaned in closer, feeling his mood begin to darken.

  
“No! No, Seven. But..how do you guys feel about MC…?” Seven’s jaw dropped as he turned sharply to look at Jumin.

Jumin clenched his jaw for a moment before answering. “I think the better question is why do you ask, Yoosung?”

Yoosung’s embarrassment began to melt away and became replaced with hesitancy due to Jumin’s tone. “Just…the notification I was talking about? It was that a member had changed their profile picture. A..and there she was.”

When neither Jumin nor Seven reacted the way he thought they would, Yoosung’s eyes widened a bit as he looked from one to the other.

“’W..wait! Did you see it too!” Yoosung grabbed for his phone. “It was gone when I woke up. I was so grateful that I took a screenshot of it…”

“Oh..Yoosung..” Yoosung glanced at Seven as he made across over his chest. At the same time, Jumin took Yoosung’s phone, dropping it in pitcher of water in the center of the table.

Seven and Yoosung froze, their eyes on Jumin as he took a sip of coffee. “I’ll buy you a new one.”

“What the fu…” Yoosung began.

“Do you have that image saved anywhere else?” Jumin asked, taking another drink.

Yoosung paused and Jumin’s eyes flashed to Seven. “Clear his data from yesterday.”

Seven nodded, diverting his eyes and taking a long drink from his straw.

Yoosung stared at his phone in the pitcher while Jumin placed his coffee cup down.

“Yoosung.” Jumin’s voice was eerily calm. “MC is a beautiful young woman. I understand your fascination in her _traits._ But as future wife to the future CEO of C&R International, having lewd thoughts of her will result in consequences. Understood?”

The whole restaurant seemed to be affected by the aura radiating off their table. Seven gaped at the interaction, his mouth hanging open while the straw rested on his bottom lip.

To Yoosung’s credit, he asked no questions even though there were at least a hundred he could have asked and simply nodded.

Jumin gave a thumbs up. “Cool.”

“Cool???” Seven whispered incredulously while Yoosung wilted in his seat.

Jumin grabbed the menu, looking it over. “Are you guys ready to order?”


	9. Double Funeral

“Are you sure this is okay?”  
“Absolutely!”

MC adjusted herself on his lap, leaning her back against his chest. Her smile reassured him, allowing him to feel at ease as he adjusted himself for her to properly position her body on his lap. The space was tight so they had to make do with their positioning. It had been forever since he had been with a someone in such a way.

“Are you ready?” She asked, her voice full of contagious excitement. Zen’s smile was his answer.

The flash from the camera in the photo booth flashed. The photo that popped up on the booth showed the pair smiling brightly.

“Zen! You seriously are gorgeous!” MC giggled as she began to play with the different options on the screen, adding a few heart emoji’s and adding a bright filter. The corner had the name of the town as well as the date and time. Above their heads, she typed out “BFFs”.

“Hm. Do you think the update is done? I want to send this to my phone.”

Zen thought for a moment. He was sure that regardless of the person, no one could stop Jumin from his work. Surely, he was in his office, too absorbed by his next project to be glued to his phone.

“Oh, it’s been at least an hour, yeah? We should totally be fine.” Zen smiled as MC powered on her phone. He followed suit as she played with the app for the photo booth.

 _Oof. Twenty-two missed calls._ Dozens of angry Jumin emoji’s glared up at Zen as he opened the RFA app.

Zen glanced at MC’s phone screen. _He must not have blown up her phone._

“Done!” MC announced as she shimmied off his lap and exited the booth. As Zen emerged after her, he caught her smiling slightly at her phone. He leaned over her shoulder. After the ring size text, there was only one single notification from Jumin.

_Have a lovely day._

_At least he was concealing his crazy from her._

Zen straightened up to give her some privacy as she typed back her response.

“Um, Zen..?” He looked back to MC. “Would you mind if I posted our profile picture on my Insta?”

Zen was taken aback for a moment. Sure, fans shared his picture all the time on social media but having an image with MC out in the world felt so...intimate. He nodded and her beaming smile made his heart jump. As she posted their picture on the app, they continued their excursion down the shopping strip. His phone buzzed and a tagged photo notification popped up.

He accepted the photo tag request and shortly after a follow request came through.

Zen grinned as he accepted MC’s friend request.

“MC!” Zen’s eyes darted up at the sound of her name.

_Who is he?_

* * *

  
Breakfast went by in near silence. The only conversation was failed topics that Seven attempted to make. Yoosung would hesitantly answer but mostly he would glance nervously at Jumin.

As Seven finished his plate, he pulled his phone from his pocket. _Oh! Their locations are both back up._  
Seven glanced at Jumin. _He’s still looking murder-y…may be best for him not to know… for Zen’s sake._ He flipped to his Insta app and scrolled for a moment or so before a picture caught his eye. MC and Zen smiled up at him, clearly in a photo booth. _No, no noooo._

Seven shot up from his seat, his knee hitting the table. “Shall we go? Breakfast on me!” He tossed too much money on the table and looped his arm around Jumin’s, pulling him up from the seat. Jumin rose an eyebrow but followed Seven’s movement.

“You’re tipping like, 400%...” Yoosung stared at the large bills on the table but followed them out the door.

_Just gotta keep him distracted until I can get to my laptop and delete that picture…or delete Insta all together.._

“So, JuJu! What’s the next investment? How is your dad? Where’s V at?!” Seven began to fire off questions. Seven was jolted backwards when Jumin suddenly stopped. Seven’s eyes followed the path of Jumin’s eyes. On a screen above a photobooth was an image from the previous occupants. If you didn’t know any better, one would assume that they were a couple with their matching outfits and the large smiles plastered on their face.

Seven’s jaw dropped. _RIP Zen._  
“Hey look! MC and Zen!” Yoosung exclaimed, completely oblivious.  
Jumin continued to stare, his expression unreadable.

“11:57.” Jumin stated.

“Huh?” Yoosung tilted his head.

Jumin glanced at his watch. “It’s 12:03. Time stamp on the photo says 11:57. They are near.”

Seven sighed, planning the outfit for Zen’s funeral. Maybe if he helped Jumin find them sooner than later, his rage would have less time to build. Seven unlocked his phone to check their location. The Insta App was still open. He noticed that Zen had been tagged in a nearby park by another user by a username he recognized.

_What? That Yeo kid?? Aw shit. Double funeral._

Seven stared at his bare hands incredulously as his phone was swiped from him. Jumin help his phone, his eyes growing darker. After a moment, Jumin handed him back his phone. Seven looked at the screen. Jumin had sent Yeo a friend request from Seven’s account.

Jumin began swiftly moving in the direction of the park while Yoosung and Seven began swiftly following behind him. “Seven, what’s happening??”

“He’s sent a death note. Jumin Han sends his regards.” Yoosung looked utterly confused but followed in line of the death march.

* * *

 

 

The sun had broken through the clouds that afternoon causing a warmer than average day. MC had removed her coat and used it as a cushion on the picnic table seat. Zen sat next to her while Yeo sat across from them. Zen and MC had ran into Yeo near the photo booth. Much to MC’s surprise, Yeo had been a huge fan of Zen’s since early in his career. He continued to gush over his latest work and Zen appeared to be soaking up the praise.

“Oh!” Yeo’s phone had buzzed and he looked at his curiously. “Astro707 has sent a follow request?”

Zen reacted first, his back stiffening. “They couldn’t possibly be together still?” He mumbled. MC was about to ask when realization hit her.

 _707… Seven? They? …Jumin?_   She felt a series of emotions as she processed the information. Annoyed that he seemed to still be stalking her. Excited to be seeing him again. Fear for Yeo. Zen and MC looked at each other for answers. Yeo suddenly sat his phone down with more force than necessary, drawing Zen and MC’s attention to him. Yeo stared behind them, his eyes narrowing. But before MC could turn around, a warmth enveloped her shoulders. She turned her head, her chin rubbing against the soft texture of a wool coat draped over her shoulders.

“Don’t let the sun deceive you. It’s still too cold.” His voice caused every nerve in her body to stand on edge. She found herself standing up immediately, turning to face him. A smile pulled at the corners of her lips. Jumin’s stoic expression broke under her smile and a small grin broke on his face.

“Tsk.” Zen clicked his tongue, audibly and physically annoyed while Yeo diverted his gaze.

Feeling eyes on her, MC peered around Jumin to see Seven beaming brightly and Yoosung stealing glances at her occasionally.

“Hey!” Seven said awkwardly, giving a slight wave. MC weaved around Jumin, bounding over to the pair. Upon first joining the group, Seven and Yoosung had been the friendliest to MC. Without much thought at all, she through her arms around Seven’s neck as he let out a surprised noise.

“The Defender of Justice!” MC called out, laughing. Seven relaxed a little bit, wrapping his arms around her.  
“Haha, hey there Newbie.” MC leaned around Seven, looking at Yoosung who continued to look on. MC extended one arm, inviting Yoosung to a group hug.

“Yoosung! Come on!” She called out, giggling. Yoosung ignored Jumin’s piercing glare and instead ran into the group embrace.

“You’re real!” Yoosung called out.  
“Duh. I told you guys that.” Seven commented.  
“But actually seeing her.. you’re really real!”

MC laughed as they dropped the hug. They carried on an excited conversation while behind them Zen stood up.

“Hey, Trust Fund Kid.” Jumin turned from the scene in front of him and locked eyes with Zen.

“I get how you’re feeling. But please…”

“…I know.” Jumin interrupted him, turning again to watch MC. “Not now. But it will happen. So, don’t get too close. And don’t you dare disappear with her again.”

Zen clicked his tongue in annoyance again but felt himself relax at least marginally. MC glanced over her shoulder at Jumin, her hands clutching his jacket over her small frame. The smile she gave him and the way Jumin visibly melted at just the sight of her... The gravitational pull they had towards each other. It was beginning to make perfect sense.

Seven and Yoosung talked excitedly with MC as if they had known her forever. Just as Zen had spent the entire afternoon with her and never felt for a moment as if she were just interested in his looks. Ofcourse it made sense that the heartless Jumin Han would be drawn to someone with such a huge heart.

“She’s something.” Zen casually stated.

“She’s mine.” Jumin answered.

Behind them, Yeo’s phone buzzed.

_“Hmm.” Yeo stared at the mysterious message. “Unknown?”_


	10. Jaehee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! Sorry that this is so late and short. I had an additional 500+ words typed up but I got cocky and started typing it directly on here rather than Word...and some how hit the back arrow ;-; 
> 
> Soooo I lost all of it. I'm hoping to get more typed up here soon but obviously I'm pretty frustrated at the moment.
> 
> Thank you for your patience and for reading! <3

After Yeo suddenly took off, the group remained at the park for a few hours. MC, Seven, and Yoosung sat at one table while Zen hid from the sun under a separate picnic table with Jumin who answered some emails on calls from his phone. Occasionally, Jumin would glance up and take in the scene playing out in front of him. The trio seated away from them had obviously bonded quickly. They spoke of college and some computer game they all enjoyed. At one point, they all sat on the same side of the picnic table, MC in the middle. Yoosung stretched out his arm to snap a series of selfies with MC’s phone. Jumin’s heart skipped a bit when MC ‘meowed’ and held her hands up in a cat ear pose.

 

“Ugh. I can feel my eyes watering…” Zen complained, rubbing at his eyes. He opened one eye, looking over at Jumin. “Don’t tell me you’re getting off on that.” He teased.

 

“Just mentally adding cat ears to a list.” Jumin retorted, much to Zen’s displeasure. 

 

“I don’t want to know.”

 

After a while, MC turned towards Jumin, catching his attention while he was finishing up a call. As he hung up, she smiled at him. “We were thinking about walking down through town.” MC stated, swinging her feet in an excited manner.

 

“Sounds good to me.” Zen said as he stood and stretched.

 

Yoosung gave a thumbs up while Seven made a salute motion.

 

The sun would be setting soon, and MC was beginning to feel overwhelmed with guilt wearing Jumin’s jacket in the now chilly air. MC stood and approached Jumin. Just as she began to take off his jacket, he took hold of her hand to stop her. As he stood, she tilted her head back to maintain eye contact with him. “I don’t want you to get cold. We can just head to my place and I can grab another coat.”

 

MC rose her arms, the length of his jacket falling over her hands. “Little big on me…” She smirked as she trailed off.

 

Jumin dipped his head. “Maybe I just like seeing you in my clothes.”

 

Zen groaned, walking away from the pair to join Yoosung and Seven. “Go get some clothes and _leave them on._ We’ll meet you in a hour in the square.” Zen looped arms with the other men and pulled them in the opposite direction.

 

Jumin watched them depart then looked back down at a blushing MC. _Cute._

 

Mr. Kim had been waiting nearby and pulled up along side the street where the park was located. As the pair climbed into the back, Jumin simply said the word, “Home.” MC quickly followed up his statement with a polite, “Thank you.”

 

Jumin smirked, ever amused by the slight difference between the two. A generic tone sounded from MC’s pocket. As she retrieved it, she let out an amused chuckle. Jumin turned towards her while she turned her phone in his direction. The other guys were blowing up the chatroom, with excitement. They extended an invite to a currently offline and Jaehee.

 

Had he seen Yoosung genuinely happy since Rika’s death? Did anyone ever respond so well to Seven’s oddness upon first meeting them? When had Zen ever (albeit hesitantly) supported any desire of Jumin’s without attacking him with doubt and negativity?

 

What was is about her?

 

_____

 

MC typed back a reply in the chat before silencing her phone. Jumin had since turned to looking back out his window, a bit of a perplexed look on his face. She too turned towards the window, rolling over her own emotions and questions in her head. Was it a smart decision to get in a car with a guy she just met? Probably not. But neither was moving into an apartment that she didn’t even know the owner of.

 

The car ride to his apartment was already ending. Mr. Kim parked in front of his building, exited the car and opened the door for the pair to get out.

 

To be expected, the building was tall and made of mostly glass window and steel. MC followed him through the front doors that he entered as if were any other home. The doorman bowed and an elevator attendant stepped to the side outside of the elevator as they entered. MC watched as Jumin pressed a button that just simply read “TOP”.

 

“Is my apartment going to be this nice?” MC joked.

 

Jumin tilted his head as he turned towards her. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t know where it is even located..” This thought seemed to bother him. He frowned and retrieved his phone, typing something out to someone.

 

“Oh.” MC cleared her throat. She had been clearly instructed not to share the location. “Uhm, it is very nice! Not ‘top floor nice’, but nicer than my dorm.”

 

Jumin had stopped drumming on his phone with his thumbs to look at her. “Is it in a safe neighborhood? How many units? What floor?”

 

“U..uhm. It seemed safe….” She trailed off while Jumin’s frown deepened.

 

“Maybe we should discuss you remaining in your dorm…” Jumin sighed, sliding his phone back in his pocket.

 

 _Would that be possible?_ “Uh, yeah! Maybe!” MC smiled.

 

The floors continued to tick upwards.

 

The silence between the two had become a bit suffocating.

 

The elevator finally came to a stop but before the doors could open, Jumin typed in a code on the pinpad. There was a short hallway with a guard standing outside of a door. He bowed before opening the door for the pair.

 

Of course Jumin’s loft style apartment was beautiful. MC had only seen such well balanced designs in magazines. She moved out of his way to close the door but remained in the doorway.

 

“You are welcome to come _in_..” Jumin trailed off as MC gazed around.

 

“I feel like I would break something in just by breathing wrong….”MC said in wonder.

 

“Do you doubt the structural integrity of my belongings?” Jumin asked, sliding his hands into the pockets of his slacks.

 

“N..no, of course not!” MC stammered, a bit of red coloring her cheeks.

 

Jumin took a few steps towards her, with a soft smile. “I was only kidding, dear..”

 

He stood close to her. Almost as close as the night at the bar. He was almost touching the material of her peacoat draped over her arm. She was beginning to feel too warm under the wool material of his coat.

 

“ _Ahem.”_

 

MC felt her heart nearly jump out of her chest as Jumin turned and she peered around him.

 

“Ah. Assistant Kang.”

 

The female standing across the room had a strong face but was obviously flustered by the scene in front of her. She stood up straighter, her eyes moving from MC to lock back with Jumin’s.

 

“Mr. Han. I wasn’t expecting you home.” Her eyes returned to MC, narrowing ever so slightly. “Zen mentioned something about going out tonight.”

 

“Just had to get my coat. MC,” Jumin stepped to the side, opening up MC up to the bullets of questions Jaehee Kang undoubtly had. “This is Jaehee Kang. She is my assistant and a planner for RFA.”

 

MC smiled softly, feeling as though she was part of an affair. Jaehee did not return the smile but she did bow slightly.

 

“A pleasure. I was just dropping off Elizabeth the Third…” Jaehee continued to stare at MC as though she was trying to figure out a hard puzzle.

 

“Ahh of course. I hope the sitter treated her well.” Jumin turned towards MC. “You’ll have to meet my Elizabeth. She’s the most magnificent cat.”

 

“Cat?!” MC’s smile stretched across her face. “I adore cats!”

 

Jumin began a speech about how exceptional Elizabeth the Third was and MC nodded along as she began to remove her boots to go meet her. They walked past Jaehee into the bathroom where she had dropped off Elizabeth to use her kitty pan.

 

“She looks lovely, Jaehee. You picked a great new sitter. The last one would only feet her chicken and not lobster like she prefers…” Jumin trailed off as MC gently pat her head and complimented her fur.

 

Jumin handed Elizabeth to MC to use the bathroom. MC walked out to the living area where Jaehee remained in her same spot.

 

“Uhm. Excuse me, MC…” Jaehee said quietly and slowly as if she were weighing her words.

 

MC looked at her as Elizabeth rubbed her nose against MC’s chin. She still felt just as uncomfortable.

 

She cleared her throat. “Honestly, how long have you known Mr. Han?”

 

MC looked at Elizabeth, running her fingers through her fur. “Since I met all of you..two days ago.” She smiled awkwardly. “I promise I don’t normally go to men’s homes after I just met them.” MC started, trying to justify her lapse in judgement.

 

“Mr. Han doesn’t invite anyone to his home. Especially not after knowing them for less than a week. And especially not females.” Jaehee eyed Jumin’s coat on her and noted the fact that he had _handed_ the cat to her. _He doesn’t let anyone hold Elizabeth the Third. What the absolute fu…_

“Assistant Kang. Will you be joining us this evening?” Jumin emerged from the bathroom. _How did he look so different? Younger? More relaxed?_ He looked genuinely excited and the way he smiled as he approached MC and the cat? Even Jaehee could feel the gravitational pull between them.

 

Any woman that had ever been around Jumin had disgusted him. You could tell what their purpose was without even speaking to them. But this girl – she was different. And Jaehee was interested to see how this all worked out.

 

The fact that her boss felt at ease put her at ease at well. “Yes, sir.”

 

\---------------------------------------

 

 **Jaehee** : Just met MC.

 

 **Zen** : Yeah?

 

 **Jaehee** : What? How?

 

 **Zen** : Right?

 

Jaehee sat in the passenger seat texting Zen as they approached the down town district.

 

 **Jaehee** : He’s laughing.

 

 **Zen** : Ugh. Why did she choose him though? His dryness is going to suffocate her one day.

 

 **Jaehee** : SHE’S LAUGHING AT HIS JOKES.

 

 **Zen** : Surely the world is ending.


	11. Nodding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "How many times did you hit 'save' while writing this chapter?"
> 
> THE LIMIT DOES NOT EXIST.

The night had went by seamlessly. Yoosung and Seven ate far too much while Zen and Jaehee broke down the situation between MC and Jumin.

 

“Could this be the nice twin and the Jumin we’ve known all along is the evil twin?” Zen hypothesized.

 

“I highly doubt any of us have a secret twin. That sounds like something off a drama.” Jaehee sighed as she watched the pair from a distance.

 

The street was filled with other people and food vendors. String lights were hung from posts, shedding just the right amount of light on to the street. Jumin and MC were across the street from the bench where Zen and Jaehee were sitting, MC leaning against the iron fence that enclosed the area with a scenic river behind them. Jumin stood next to her, talking about something that solicited a laugh from her.

 

“Yo, Zen!” Seven ran over towards the pair with Yoosung in tow. “It’s getting chilly out here! Isn’t your apartment nearby…” He trailed off, grinning expectantly. Zen sighed rolling his eyes.

 

“If you fall asleep in my bed again, I’m carrying you out to the street…” Zen slapped his knees before standing up. Jumin and MC noticed the group congregating and crossed the street to join them.

 

The group walk towards the nearest convenient mart, grabbing some cheap beer. Disgusted by the selection, Jumin called Mr. Kim and asked him to bring some of his wine to Zen’s address.

 

When they reached Zen’s apartment, Yoosung, Seven, and MC sat at the table to play a game of Go-Fish. Jaehee had taken to the couch to finish up some email responses via her phone. When Mr. Kim arrived, Jumin stepped outside to retrieve the bottles of wine when he was intercepted by Zen outside. Zen quietly closed his front door behind him while Jumin blinked down at him.

 

“How much do you plan on allowing MC to drink?” Zen suddenly asked with zero preface.

 

“Excuse me?” Jumin tilted his head.

 

“Don’t look at me like that.” Zen jabbed his finger in his chest. “What have we learned in the last 24  hours about our Dear MC?” Zen paused, waiting for Jumin to answer. “ALCOHOL PLUS MC EQUALS CARELESS. And for as robotic as you may be, you are a man. And all men are the same.” Zen’s eyes narrowed.

 

Jumin rose his eyebrows for a moment as he finally grasped where Zen was going with his warning. Or was it an accusation? Sure, the thought of a careless MC’s soft skin visible and free for Jumin to explore was enticing. He remembered the picture she posted the night before and the mischievous, challenging look in her eyes. How would it be to see her make that same expression at him as she straddled his waist, unbuttoning more of those buttons? How would she react when he sat up and carried her to a wall, pinning her hands above her head, stealing kisses from that smart mouth?

“Hmm tempting…” Jumin trailed off, but held up his hand just as Zen opened his mouth again. “But I would never take advantage of a women – especially not someone that will share my last name some day soon.” Zen closed his mouth, still glaring at Jumin but looking at least somewhat relieved by Jumin’s answer.

 

As Zen began to pull his lighter from his back pocket, Jumin reached around him to open the door. “Not to mention I need her as reactive as possible the first time.”

 

“Oi! Don’t even think about her in that way…!” Zen began his lecture but Jumin quickly closed the door.

 

As soon as he entered, MC’s eyes met his and she grinned as she fanned herself with her cards.

 

“MC! Have mercy, oh Great Fishing Master!” Seven exclaimed, face planting into the table while Yoosung swept the cards in front of him on to the floor.

 

MC laughed, taking a sip of the beer Zen had gave her. Jumin scrunched up his nose. “Would you like something a little more palatable?” He held up a bottle of his wine.

 

“Hey, it may not be the best, but it does it’s job!” MC took a long drink, wincing the entire time. Yoosung and Seven cheered her on until she finished and smashed the empty can on the table. “Round 10!” She declared while Yoosung picked up the cards from the ground and Seven put on a determined look.

 

While Jumin blinked at the situation in front of him, Jaehee walked towards the kitchen. “There’s some wine glasses in here, Mr. Han.” She called out to him. Jumin removed his shoes and slid on a pair of guest slippers. While Jaehee grabbed the glasses, Jumin continued to watch the three play from the kitchen.

 

“I think I really like her…” Jaehee trailed off as she took one bottle and stuck it with a cork remover. Jumin nodded a little bit, his eyes glued on MC as she cheered on.

 

“Wait.” Jumin paused and spun around to look at Jaehee. “Why, Assistant Kang?”

 

Jaehee shifted uncomfortably, popping the cork out. “Should I answer honestly, Mr. Han?” Jumin nodded while Jaehee began pouring two glasses. “W…well.” She cleared her throat, obviously a little hesitant to speak so candidly. “I think she is good for you in a humbling way. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen someone tell you no before…” She picked up a glass, handing it to Jumin while she took a drink from her own glass. “That being said, I think you still need to be careful. This night has helped me trust her a bit more, but you tend to be…aggressive.”

 

“I would say ‘driven’ is a better term….” Jumin stated, swirling his glass around and smelling the familiar variety of wine before taking a drink.

 

“I just think that sometimes, good things take time.” Jaehee said, trying to be as delicate with the conversation as possible.

 

Jumin looked thoughtful for a moment as he rolled over what Jaehee said. “Assistant Kang, have you dated before?”

 

Jaehee choked a little bit on the wine she had just swallowed. “I’d rather not discuss my personal life on that level with you…”Jaehee paused. “Wait, have you, sir?”

 

“For business purposes.” Jumin stated without skipping a beat.

 

_“What the hell does that mean??”_ Jaehee wondered.

 

“That’s why I assume I should just propose, right? Because I don’t think of this as a business situation. Do people casually date still?” Jumin rambled off thoughts, not noticing that Zen had come back in and was currently overhearing the slew of words. His eyes widened as he looked from Jaehee to Jumin. “Maybe I should just order that ring…” Jumin reached for his phone.

 

_Noooo! Not the ring talk again!_

 

“Hey, hey, hey!” Zen said as loud as he could without alerting the three loudly playing Go-Fish.

 

“Dating! What a great idea! Boyfriend, girlfriend! That is _technically_ the correct first step!” Zen patted Jumin on the back.

 

Jumin paused mid-grab looking thoughtfully at Zen. “Girlfriend, boyfriend? She’d be _my_ girlfriend…” Jumin turned suddenly towards a shocked Jaehee. “What do you think, Assistant Kang?”

 

“Uh, Zen is correct… That is the socially correct way to begin a romantic relationship..” Jaehee offered a less than convincing smile but Jumin had a determined look on his face as he grabbed the unopened bottle of wine, the opener, and a spare glass.

 

“MC.” Jumin announced loud enough to make everyone pause and Yoosung to all but jump out of his chair. “May I borrow you?”

 

“But we’re mid-game…” Seven whined. “And we’re tied for once.” He followed up.

 

“Assistant Kang will sit in for MC.” Jumin decided much to Seven and Yoosung’s horror.

 

“But she’s even better!” Yoosung whined, throwing his cards on the table.

 

Jumin looked expectantly at MC, who hesitantly stood up. Jumin walked towards her, motioning with his head to follow him down the short hallway.

 

“What did you do?” Jaehee whispered to Zen.

 

“At least this will postpone the marriage proposal and prenup signing…” Zen said with a fake, reassuring smile to Jumin. Jumin smiled back at Zen, doing an uncharacteristic thumbs up before walking towards the secret entrance to the rooftop.

 

* * *

 

A gush of cold air greeted Jumin as he opened the door to the rooftop of Zen’s apartment.

 

The night buzzed with distant city sounds. The sky was completely clear, bright stars spotting the dark sky with the moon nearly full and bright.

 

“Wow!” MC rushed over towards the wall framing the top of the building, looking excitedly out at the city street below them. In the distance, taller building towered with a glow of light pollution around them. Noticing that she had left both coats down in the apartment, Jumin removed a second coat of the day to put it around her shoulders.

 

She turned to look at him though she had tilted her head back as he stood close. He put his hands in the pockets of his slacks, while he stood before her. “Did you not find your other two coats suitable?” He teased.

 

“Sorry. Forgetful.” She smiled apologetically.

 

“Forgetful, hmm?” Jumin said thoughtfully before he removed one of his hands from his pocket, placing the palm of his hand against the soft, warm surface of MC’s cheek. He leaned down slowly, pausing right before her lips. When she remained still, he gently pressed his lips against hers. MC’s body moved marginally upwards towards his, her lips pressing back in a reserved manner. Jumin tilted his head, his pinky and index finger moving below her jaw to keep her face close to his. He parted his lips and was pleased to feel her lips part in synchrony with his. He could feel her face growing warmer under his hand, a soft sound of appreciation in her throat when the tip of his tongue met with hers. He broke the kiss for  a moment. “Do you remember the feeling of my lips?” He kept close enough to her that when he spoke, his lips brushed softly against hers. She nodded her head, moving to resume the kiss but he kept her head still with the light hold he had on her jaw. “Hmm. I can’t hear a nod…”

 

“Yes, I remember. Very clearly.” She answered back.

_Hm, she can follow directions._ Before the thoughts of pinning MC against a wall resurfaced, Jumin pulled back more so that he could look at her. A beautiful soft pink tinted her cheeks, as she looked back at him.

 

“MC. I know we’ve known each other a very limited time and as much as I’d like to get to know more about you, I need something from you.” Jumin paused while MC looked at him, slightly confused.

 

“Think of me, not the other guys of RFA. Not your friend. Contact me for help. Call me if you forget a coat. Smile for me. Be with me." He began, his thoughts tumbling out of his mouth. "You have been the only things occupying my mind since I saw you in that conference call. I can't imagine another day of my life passing by without being with you. Please, be my girlfriend.”

 

His hand had remained on her cheek and he felt it only grow warmer as she continued to stare at him in disbelief. A myriad of emotions were expressed on her face before she finally let out a little laugh. Jumin felt his heart sink a little but the feeling immediately went away as she nodded her head. Jumin felt the smile on his face, as he teased. “I can’t hear a nod.” He said again.

 

MC pushed forward, her lips crushing clumsily with his as she pushed herself up on her tippy toes, throwing her arms around his neck. She stopped the kiss for a moment. “Yes, I will be. Clearly.”

 

Jumin laughed, a feeling unlike one he had ever felt filling his chest. He wrapped his arms around her waist, crushing her body to his as he picked up where she left off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where's Yeo?

**Author's Note:**

> Jaehee stared at the documents Mr. Han gave her last minute. Again. The chatroom goes on without her, Mr.Han creeps on a girl without her noticing, and she gets to miss lunch. AGAIN.


End file.
